This is a very good topic about info not getting out. We are looking for better ways to do some things since times have changed. In your opinion how can the PNW4WDA get the info out better?

Thanks and welcome to the forum!

That's a deep question and I'm no one to tell you how to run your board. It's just a observation on my part that a new person has to dig deep for what little info is here....I'm speaking mostly about the competition side of things. There are lots of links here for legal matters and trails type info I think or maybe it's just that I'm more familliar with that stuff so it seems more complete...
As far as the competition thing is concerned I guess you first have to know if you even want to attract new people, that's up to you veterans. If you do maybe a link to a page explaining the different events and some of the specifics about the events. The tech/ rules page needs LOTS of work. I've competed in many aspects of racing 4wd and different organizations with different rules but I can barely make heads or tails or your tech requirements. To make matters worse when you show up for tech and don't have a typical comp rig there's much confusion from the guys doing the tech. They're probably not used to seeing different types rigs either.
Once you get past all of this there's much fun to be had that makes it all worth while.

Hi Rick Thanks for letting us know. It wasn't that we took your message as an insult. It's just the guy who relyed the message to us who is supposed to be a leader and moderator here said "We Suck" My reply has been deleted but he gets away with this kind of BS all the time. Here's part of my reply to him.
Originally Posted by EagleMark
As far as we suck! Speak for yourself, I agree you suck! But the rest of us here are great and do the best we can...

I didn't have anything to do with that event but would like to here from you what we could have done differantly?

Hey Mark! Jims good people and I know he's trying and means well. As far as the event itself it was a blast so I wouldn't suggest changing anything.

I was talking about the pre advertising or whatever brought up the suck!

Jim does a lot of work for PNW4WDA...

Most of the racers put a few people in the seat. Allot of the time it's hard to get good pictures at these events. Then you have to take the time to load and post them.

I'm not sure we suck as the thread title stated. I am sure we are not a bunch of computer geeks that spend a whole lot of time doing that type of thing.
When it comes to promoting an event or wrenching for one, I suspect that most of us are better at one than the other.

Most of the racers put a few people in the seat. Allot of the time it's hard to get good pictures at these events. Then you have to take the time to load and post them.

I'm not sure we suck as the thread title stated. I am sure we are not a bunch of computer geeks that spend a whole lot of time doing that type of thing.
When it comes to promoting an event or wrenching for one, I suspect that most of us are better at one than the other.

Hopefully in time the other gets more attention..

So why doesn't someone appoint a person to post these events on the local forums...maybe find a young computer savvy whipper-snapper to make this happen?

If the goal is to have more folks show up, then this sounds reasonable. The current methods of email/word of mouth/snail mail seem to be working for some, BUT there is a whole untapped market of "computer geeks" that would love to come out and throw down with ya'll :super:

So why doesn't someone appoint a person to post these events on the local forums...maybe find a young computer savvy whipper-snapper to make this happen?

If the goal is to have more folks show up, then this sounds reasonable. The current methods of email/word of mouth/snail mail seem to be working for some, BUT there is a whole untapped market of "computer geeks" that would love to come out and throw down with ya'll :super:

I'm just sayin'

I hear you and I do have some input on this subject as I have put allot of thought into this an discussed it with others.
This forum is for upcoming events and not really this type of discussion.

Would you mind starting a thread in the members section or in Campfire chat.

Ah heck with it. We can leave it here for now and move it later if it becomes appropriate.

Here's how I see it after my short time racing jeeps.
Strattoline is a great venue and a good spectator venue. Most of the folks do not like racing there as it is a rockpit and the management has been difficult to deal with. Some of the events like the sprints and relays are really fun to watch from the grandstands.
While we are looking for other venues and have tried others, (Longview Fair Grounds) . Insurance and other concerns make it increasingly difficult.

So the question as I see it is why don't we do a better job of promoting this fun and exciting sport?

Let me use our club as an example Overbored Racing.
We are a small club, it takes allot of folks to do a good job of putting on a race. Who comes to the races now? Family, friends and some PNW members.

Let's say we had 100 non members spectators come to our event this weekend at Ethel. We charged them $5 bucks a head. That would be great and the club would make a few bucks after the property owner got his take.
But it would take security.
It would take someone to park them.
It would be a saftey concern making sure people were free of the track and in an area where they could enjoy the racing.
So for 100 people and somewhere around $300 bucks we take on quite abit of liability and crowd control.

Another concern is this. All of us leave our motorhomes an trailers unlocked for the entire weekend. At any one time I have a $600 carb and well let's just say someone could pop in and walk off with my laptop that sits on the table very easily while we are out racing.
(provided they got past the attack dogs)

So there is that element of security in having no spectators or having very little.
Does this stop that kid from coming out and wanting to race because he sees what we do and wants to do it also? Maybe. It does seem abit sad that there is not more promotion of our sport. But would you say that the liability for spectators is worth it. Sure in my opinion it would be great to promote the sport. Rob Stafford has been great at that and we do have many new racers in the last couple years (including side by sides) because of it.
It's a tough subject and one that has allot of depth to it.
This is only one element, of this discussion. I'll leave my comments there for now and can expound on other aspects later.

I think that the "better" way to do the recruiting is to get these people into a club so that they can be introduced to a group of people prior to just racing. it may make for the same type of atmosphere that we currently have; trusting, fun, the friendship, and it will keep the newbies in the pnw so that they can be part of the whole year-round experience, not just the racing at one or two events.

I dont race my jeep but i have helped at more than one event and find that to be almost as fun as the prospect of racing. plus there are other fun things that the PNW does during the "off-season" other than racing.

Are you suggesting requireing people to be in a PNW club in order to qualify to participate in racing?

not at all but if a club would take them under their wing and guide them. Personally i feel that there is much more to being in a club than trying to arrange things on your own. The PNW is a great organization if the people make it that way, it takes all of us working together, clubs and individuals. I just think that it is easier to start into the sport if you can follow someone else and learn the ropes instead of having the ropes thrown at you in a rats nest.

I was actually disappointed at your first statement in this thread, you are just as much at fault as anyone else for not asking that the events be on the PNW main page... As the new VP of the Webfooters, I am incharge of the playday in the spring. I am going to start working with Ed to get things on the main page early, eventhough all/most of the PNW members know that ours is the first one...

Also, in regards to the "we suck" statement, there is a phone... that is how people found out information before the internet. Pick it up and call someone who is higher in the PNW... it works trust me...